As our site grows every day we want to share some information with you on the way we are operating the project. We call this section «Business Blog» as it is similar to doing a log book where data is recorded in a chronological order. «Blogging» is gaining popularity with more and more people picking up the habit of publishing their experiences and thoughts on the Internet. Our Blog covers various topics — from TOEFL, TOEIC, MBA, GMAT, ESL/EFL test preperation to cultural traditions and current political events.
There will also be some Internet marketing terminology and if you have any questions regarding the information simply let us know.

The Business Blog is written by Torsten Daerr and edited by Alan Townend.

2004 — September 11
Today is Saturday September 11 — what is on your agenda? Maybe, you are shopping with your kids and your spouse. Or you have to wash your car and clean your apartment. Whatever you are occupied with — take a minute to share your thoughts about current world news here in the forum: Your thoughts on September 11.

2004 — September 10
Writing an article or an essay is a bit like pushing a car along a road. Once you get it rolling, it is much easier to build up momentum. I have started to create some materials on how to prepare for the TOEFL as you might be one of those people who arrive at our pages through a Google search for appropriate information. Once you find our site and trust us to share our experiences in English language exam preparation we will provide you with the answers you are looking for. Or even better than that we will make you think in a certain way that enables you to come up with the answers for your questions yourself. For example, if you know that the TOEFL test evaluates your ability to understand English texts that are used in an academic context, how do you think you can prepare yourself for this test? Of course, you have to read scientific articles in newspapers and magazines or on websites. Now, because English is not your mother tongue but a second language you are learning, where do you think you can find articles that are written in an easily understandable language? Well, how about publications which are intended for younger readers? Do you remember how you learned about the sciences at school? When you were a fifth or sixth grade pupil your textbooks on biology, physics, chemistry and astrology had only short texts with many pictures that helped you understand the basic scientific concepts. Why not use the same approach when it comes to preparing for the TOEFL test?

2004 — September 09
Keeping a diary or as many young netizens say, «blog», has many advantages: you learn how to organize your ideas and how to express them as precisely as possible. A blog enables you to collect your ideas and use your brain power more effectively because every sentence you complete generates a new one. When you get into the habit of adding one entry to your blog every single day, you start to make time for this task so that it becomes a pleasure rather than a chore. A blog is the ideal medium to get to know yourself better — do you know how much responsibility you can take? Are you capable of setting goals and achieving them? In addition a blog functions as a database where you can record and store information you consider worth keeping for further reference. For example you come across an interesting website, a software program or a text document that you want at some point later when you have a minute to spare. How do you keep track of those items? Yes, jot that address down on a piece of paper and pop it on your desk. What a great idea. When was the last time you were looking for that all important website and couldn't remember where you had written it? If you keep a blog that is connected to Google's search technology you have all the information at your fingertips. Just type the keyword you are looking for into your Google search box and up come all the pages you need. Want an example? OK, let's assume a friend of mine likes reading thrillers in English and they ask me for a good book. I remember reading one last year - it was written by an American whose surname is Katzenbach. Now, if I search English-test.net for «katzenbach» this page appears:

search results for «katzenbach»

So, when you work on a project and want to retrieve information from it — a blog is the ideal tool for this job. And once you «get the hang» of blogging, you don't want to stop. I'm sure you know the differences between a blog and a diary so next time we'll exchange our ideas on this subject. So watch this space.

2004 — September 08
When we started english-test.net most of our users would come from Germany, now the US has taken the lead generating more than three times the traffic Germany does. I think this is because english-test.net has become very popular amongst young Asians and Europeans who go to the US to study at university or college. When they arrive they realize that they have to improve their English and maybe prepare to take the TOEFL or TOEIC test. With Internet access available throughout the USA it is quite obvious that those students use this new medium to find ESL books, software and interactive websites. Maybe, you have been in the same situation. You come across an interesting place on the Internet and you want to share this information with your friends so you send them the web address via email and if they like the site, they will forward the address to their friends and so on. That's how the old «word-of-mouth» principle works on the Internet. The popularity of a website grows even faster if you can subscribe to a free email based newsletter. It goes without saying that at english-test.net you have such an option. The current issue — it's called «Good Bye Summer» and it contains a lot of interesting English expressions such as «topsy-turvy» or an usual explanation of the word «shed». Alan Townend is the author of these unique English language articles and you will hardly find anything similar in the whole World Wide Web.